PREVIEW: A look at our trip to the Abbey

United face Cambridge on Saturday

26 October 2023

Cambridge United v Carlisle United, Saturday 28 October, kick off 3pm

opposition

The Abbeymen went into Tuesday night's home game with Portsmouth on the back of a horrible run of form, having not won in nine outings in all competitions.

Pompey knocked on the door, but the home team stood strong to gain a point from a 0-0 draw.

Their last victory was at home against Reading at the beginning of September, and they now have just two points this month, with the other coming from their 1-1 home draw with Shrewsbury.

The season had started well, with three wins from five that had them perched nciely in the upper reaches of the division.

Things are looking up off the pitch with the club having reached an agreement with their Supporters' Club which will pave the way for a redevelopment of the Abbey Stadium.

The U's are to spend £1.5m on a new Supporters' Club building and, in return, they will be gifted an area of land which will allow much-needed work to proceed.

Should the agreement be ratified, detailed plans are set to be announced at the beginning of 2024.

who watch

Forward Fejiri Okenabirhie is finding the net with some amount of regularity this season.

He has seven goals from 16 appearances so far, with an assist thrown in for good measure.

His shot conversion ratio is 47%, showing a tendency to hit the target whenever he lets one go.

He didn't start on Tuesday night, and was an unused sub, but we're sticking our necks out to suggest that he will still be this weekend's man to follow from the opposition.

Click HERE to purchase a match pass which will allow you to listen to this fixture via our match streaming service.

With match commentary provided by BBC Radio Cumbria, this is a fantastic way to follow your team through the season.

Match audio passes are available for ALL EFL league games - click HERE to find out more about this season’s iFollow United service.

highlights

	Carlisle wins	Draws	Cambridge wins
League	10	14	10
Total	10	14	10

Cambridge took the points home from Brunton Park in March 2021 with Wrexham-bound Paul Mullin the first to score on the day - on the stroke of half-time. Lewis Alessandra levelled things up with 15 minutes left to play, but the Abbeyman claimed the win with a very late strike from Adam May.

You can watch the highlights of that game here:

A first away trip of the 2020/21 season took Carlisle to Cambridge and the hosts swept into a two-goal lead with just 16 minutes played. A late Ironside strike wrapped up the victory.

Watch the highlights from that game here:

United were at the Abbey in February 2020 and goals from Lewis Alessandra and Nick Anderton scored either side of the break seemed to put them in a good place. But a late strike from Reggie Lambe kept the fingernails at risk as the hosts tried to claim a point.

It was a deserved victory for the Blues in the end, as they made it just one defeat in nine outings in what was an impressive run of performances.

Watch the highlights from that game here:

Prior to that Fmeeting [highlights above] the last coming together of these two sides was in November 2019 when the teams battled out a 0-0 draw here at Brunton Park.

Watch the highlights from that game here:

Prior to that we met in March 2019 when United had to recover from conceding a very early goal. Jamie Devitt and Nathan Thomas put the Blues ahead before the break, but Jabo Ibehre came back to haunt us when he netted the equaliser in the second half.

We were at the Abbey in September 2018 for our first meeting with the U's that season, and the teams had some baking hot weather to contend with on what was a lovely late summer's afternoon. A good opening spell from the home side brought a goal for Jevani Brown, but United were back on terms just before the break when Richie Bennett looped a header into the back of the net. The Cumbrians had the better of the second half and they took the points when Ashley Nadesan bagged from close range.

Watch the highlights from that game here:

The 2017/18 season saw United edge in front courtesy of a neat finish from Reggie Lambe, when the sides met at the Abbey in August 17, but Medy Elito levelled from the spot just six minutes later. Carlisle kept going and Tom Parkes scored his first goal for the club, accompanied by a celebratory dab, to earn the visitors all three points.

Watch the highlights of that game here:

Cambridge came to Brunton Park in March 2018 to put things right but the deadlock in a tight game was broken by Richie Bennett when he scored from close range following a cut back from Mark Ellis just after the break. However, the celebrations had barely subsided when George Maris scored the point making equaliser just over 120 seconds later.

Watch the highlights of that game here:

officials

Referee - Sam Purkiss
Assistant Referee 1 - Scott Williams
Assistant Referee 2 - Ryan Whitaker
Fourth Official - Leigh Crowhurst
Observer - Michael Brader
Coach - Michael George

The referee for this fixture is Mr Sam Purkiss. Sam has taken charge of 11 games so far this season showing 59 yellow cards and six reds.

Our Ref Watch article to accompany this fixture is HERE.

tickets

We have been allocated an initial 626 unreserved seated tickets for this game.

Prices

Adult	£25
Senior 64+	£19
Full time student	£19
Armed Forces	£19
18-21	£19
Under 18	£12
Under 12	£8
Under 5	FOC

Alll ticket prices increase by £2 on the day of the game.

Wheelchair users and ambulant disabled supporters pay the relevant concession price, with a carer free of charge.

Dates of sale

Date	Time
Thu 26 Oct	10am – 4pm

Methods of purchase:

In person – come to the Pioneer ticket office at the designated time. Sales on home match days will be from the west side ticket office (from 5.30pm on a midweek home match day).
Phone – ring the ticket office 03300 945 930 option 1 at the designated times and pay with a credit / debit card.
Internet – buy online HERE.

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If you wish to purchase bus travel you can organise this by calling CUSAT on 07563 700 987.

Click HERE for departure times and prices. Please note - the coach is due to leave at 7am, not 6am as planned. Please check timings when you book.

Match Reports

MATCH REPORT: Cambridge 1 - 0 United

Report from the Saturday afternoon away game

28 October 2023

It was the second of three consecutive Saturday away games for the Blues on Saturday as they headed to the Abbey in Cambridge for their latest League One fixture.

United were heading into the game unchanged from their midweek success over Burton until Fin Back pulled out of the warm-up when he signalled that he had felt a tightness at the top of his thigh.

That brought Ben Barclay into the starting eleven, with Corey Whelan drafted onto the bench.

Carlisle started brightly and their high tempo approach put a nervy looking host outfit on the back foot with a series of early attacks.

And the team in blue should have taken the lead inside the first two minutes when Gibson and Armer linked up down the left flank. The latter pulled the ball back into a dangerous area but Butterworth got his angles wrong and was disappointed to see his effort bend wide.

Striker Joe Garner put himself about and he made space for himself on five minutes, with Maguire in support. The through ball was neat but the attack was stopped in its tracks when the keeper rushed out.

The Cumbrians kept knocking and Gibson was next to find room after Armer and Mellish worked hard to make space. He cut it back into the mix and it pinged about after Morrison had smashed his clearance against Ryan Bennett. Maguire and Butterworth tried to finish it off but the U’s survived the scramble.

Cambridge started to show as more of an attacking force midway through the half but the edgy crowd started to moan and groan as crosses from left and right went too high and too far.

Carlisle continued to look the more likely, but they couldn’t quite find the target, with a looped Barclay header from a Maguire cross that landed on the roof of the net typical of their fortune in front of goal.

Both Gibson and Butterworth saw half chances deflect away from the target, and Holy was needed at the other end when Kaikai bent his run before delivering low. It was going in until the big stopper got there with his feet.

The dangerous Gibson, making his 100th league start for his team, wanted to celebrate the landmark with a goal, but he was frustrated by a resolute wall when he went for the top corner from a 23-yard free kick. The touch from Morrison sent it over the bar.

Cambridge upped their game after the break, and Ahadme almost capitalised on unexpected space after Digby had got forward with purpose. Lavelle got in the way, but the rebound was met by a thundering strike from Liam Bennett. Holy was relieved to see it flash past his upright.

There were loud appeals for a penalty when Andrew slid towards Maguire, determined to stop any kind of cross. He appeared to drag it behind with his arm, but the shouts from the players and the 661 strong travelling contingent behind the goal were ignored.

Holy was down smartly to palm a Brophy grasscutter away from his bottom corner, and the keeper opted to leave a fizzer from Liam Bennett that dipped late and almost made into the roof of the net.

Just as it seemed that things were starting to settle, a misplaced pass gave Cambridge an opening they used to full effect. Liam Bennett guided the ball towards Substitute George Thomas and, completely unmarked, he had time to pick his headed spot.

There was a very good chance to level things up when Moxon fed Ablade, who used pace and strength to his advantage. He slid it back for McCalmont to strike but, with the goal at his mercy, he missed his kick and the moment was gone.

United’s afternoon took a horrible twist on 83 minutes when Jack Armer tugged Kaikai as he shaped to break through. Having already been booked it was inevitable that a second yellow would follow.

Ten became nine on 92 minutes when McCalmont was shown a straight red after he’d raised a boot to volley an awkward ball, only for it to connect with Digby’s chest.

Carlisle threw men forward through the remaining nine minutes of added time, and they felt aggrieved when Ablade was twice felled in dangerous set piece positions, only for referee Sam Purkiss to tell him to get up on both occasions.

The Abbeymen held on to claim their win, with Carlisle left to lick the wounds of what had been a very bruising day.

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Goals

Cambridge United - Thomas (74)

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Bookings

Cambridge United - Lankester (30), R Bennett (37)

Carlisle United - Armer (47 & 83 - sent off)

McCalmont - straight red (90+2)

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Teams

Cambridge United - Stevens, L Bennett, Andrew, Morrison (c), R Bennett, Digby, Brophy (Gordon 78), Lankester (Thomas 65), Cousins, Kaikai (Janneh 65), Ahadme (Okenabirhie 65). Subs - Rossi, May, Haunstrup.

Carlisle United - Holy, Barclay, Armer, Lavelle (c), Mellish, Guy, Moxon (Robinson 84), Butterworth (McCalmont 61), Gibson (Plange 75), Maguire (Ablade 61), Garner (Edmondson 75). Subs - Andresson (gk), Whelan.

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Match officials

Referee - Sam Purkiss
Assistant Referee 1 - Scott Williams
Assistant Referee 2 - Ryan Whitaker
Fourth Official - Leigh Crowhurst
Observer - Michael Brader
Coach - Michael George

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Attendance - 6,513 (661)